<\/p>\n
By Dave Boyer<\/span> – The Washington Times<\/span><\/p>\n White House press secretary Sean Spicer<\/a> defended Monday the administration\u2019s combative start with the media, saying President Trump<\/a> and his aides have a right to correct journalists mistakes and what they view as media bias.<\/p>\n \u201cI believe that sometimes we can disagree with the facts,\u201d Mr. Spicer<\/a> told a packed briefing room at his first question-and-answer session. \u201cOur intention is never to lie to you. We should be afforded the same opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n He doubled down on his assertion that Mr. Trump<\/a>\u2019s inauguration was the \u201cmost watched\u201d in history, despite photographs showing a much larger audience on the National Mall during President Obama\u2019s inaugural in 2009.<\/p>\n \u201cThere were tens of millions of people that watched it online. It\u2019s unquestionable. I don\u2019t see any numbers that dispute that,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The new press secretary also cited what he called a \u201cracially charged\u201d mistake by a reporter who erroneously reported Friday night that Mr. Trump<\/a> had removed a bust of Dr. Martin Luther King from the Oval Office.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s an attempt to go after this president,\u201d he said. \u201cThere\u2019s a rush to judgment every time.\u201d<\/p>\n Mr. Spicer<\/a> shook up the press briefing routine of past administrations, calling on reporters by name near the back of the room and skirting some of the big television networks in the front row at the outset.<\/p>\n Two days after scolding the media for its perceived biased coverage of President Trump<\/a>\u2019s inauguration, Mr. Spicer<\/a> entered the press room with a big smile.<\/p>\n \u201cI was going to start with a little recap of the inauguration, but I think we\u2019ve covered that pretty well,\u201d Mr. Spicer<\/a> said.<\/p>\n He also joked that he wrote a note Sunday night to former Obama press secretary Josh Earnest, saying that Mr. Earnest\u2019s status as the most popular press secretary was \u201csecure\u201d for at least the next few days.<\/p>\n